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Susan SmithSusan Smith has worked as an editor and writer in the technology industry for over 16 years. As an editor she has been responsible for the launch of a number of technology trade publications, both in print and online. Currently, Susan is the Editor of GISCafe and AECCafe, as well as those sites’ newsletters and blogs. She writes on a number of topics, including but not limited to geospatial, architecture, engineering and construction. As many technologies evolve and occasionally merge, Susan finds herself uniquely situated to be able to cover diverse topics with facility. « Less

Susan SmithSusan Smith has worked as an editor and writer in the technology industry for over 16 years. As an editor she has been responsible for the launch of a number of technology trade publications, both in print and online. Currently, Susan is the Editor of GISCafe and AECCafe, as well as those sites’ … More »

Data Links for Nepal Earthquake

Over the weekend, a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal near the city of Kathmandu, followed by aftershocks that also resulted in many deaths and structural damage. Simultaneously, climbers on Mount Everest’s base camp were buried in an avalanche, precipitated by the quake.

The following are some sites that provide some geospatial insight into the events. I’m leaving the links whole in most cases so that they are easy for people to access and will add others as I learn about them. If anyone has any other links that should be added to this list, please contact me at susan.smith@ibsystems.com.

Dharahara Tower, Kathmandu April 2014 before the earthquake, courtesy DigitalGlobe

Esri has published a pair of interactive maps about the 7.8 magnitude earthquake and aftershocks that struck Nepal over the weekend. The following maps are available for the media to embed or share as part of ongoing coverage.

Explore the locations and intensities of the various quakes that struck Nepal, along with a shakemap from the USGS. This map also includes geotagged social media from Twitter and YouTube with local content related to the quakes.

Take a closer look at Nepal’s history of seismic activity and learn more about the people impacted by the earthquakes. This story map also includes information about relief operations and key points of interest in the region, as well as a 3D web scene of the area affected by the avalanche on Mt. Everest.

In response to the devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck central Nepal on April 25, DigitalGlobe has made high-resolution satellite imagery of the affected areas freely available online to all groups involved in the response and recovery effort through the company’s FirstLook initiative.

Airbus Defence and Space has acquired Pléiades satellites imagery to support the International Charter and Copernicus Emergency Management Service. The data acquired will assist in assessing the damage and help rescue organisations in the delivery of humanitarian aid.

Pleiades image of Kathmandu before and after

The before and after Pléiades images over Kathmandu show the devastation caused by the earthquake. The “before” Pléiades image was acquired on November 29, 2014, and the “after” Pléiades image was acquired on April 27, 2015, two days after the earthquake.